MichaelHi

Concrete Walls at SFF London / 2012

2012-02-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

Concrete Walls picked up an award for Best Soundtrack and was nominated for Best Cinematography. Thanks to the festival organisers and all involved. A really good festival, with a really high standard of International Student work.
INFO

Landslide Screens Berlin's Director's Lounge 2012

2012-02-07T08:26:00.001-08:00

14th FEB 9pm

Other work in the program includes...
Susanne Wiegner DE One Moment Passes 3 min 2011 | German Premiere
Neil Ira Needleman US The Good Old Days 4 min 33s 2011 | World Premiere
Alina Gavrielatos UK The Ghost of Morris Horn 10 min 17s 2010 | German Premiere
Daniel Nicolae Djamo RO Menu 5 min 27s 2011
Stephan Kaempf DE Chaos ca 5 min 43s 2011 in attendance
Marco Gianfreda IT Pizzangrillo 15 min 2011
Péter Lichter HU Cassette 10 min 2011 | German Premiere
Kim Collmer US / DE Head Room 8 min 2011
Carl Elsaesser US There Is Wind That Blew 31 min 2011

INFO

The Poorhouse Revisited

2012-01-14T04:08:00.000-08:00

The Poorhouse Revisited in the Joinery Gallery, Dublin, 18th Jan with a live musical accompanient by Brian Suzanne, Suzanne Walsh & Diarmuid MacDiarmada.

Other filmmakers featured were Rouzbeh Rashidi, Chris O'Neill & Sylvia Schedelbauer
The Poorhouse Revisited - Official Site - INFO

The Last of Deductive Frames

2012-01-14T03:54:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say I'll be taking part in the Experimental Film Society's new ongoing project, The Last of Deductive Frames. Similar to that of the exquisite corpse or 'chain mail' structure The Last of Deductive Frames will involve the members of EFS.

"The Last of Deductive Frames" is a collaborative omnibus feature film being made gradually over time by the members of Experimental Film Society. It is a film that starts but never finishes. Each filmmaker will contribute a ten minute section to it. These sections will be assembled in the order in which they are completed. This constantly growing work will initially be for the internet, but will eventually be presented on the big screen. The only strict rule at the outset is that each segment must last exactly ten minutes, although further rules might be added as the film develops. "The Last of Deductive Frames" is a living cinematic organism designed to forget its creators as it evolves.
- EFS

INFO - The Last of Deductive Frames on Vimeo
INFO - The EFS

Concrete Walls at SFF London / 3rd - 5th Feb / 2012

2011-12-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

My feature film Concrete Walls (HD, 60mins) has been selected to screen in competition at London's International Student Film Festival. It has a beautiful score by Síol Na Gréine and an amazing screen presence by both Joseph Campbell and Shadow.

The jury includes Dave Calhoun, Jabez Olssen and Simon Pegg.

Shot on location on the grounds of the old derelict Pigeon House in Dublin the film follows the story of a mysterious loner dealing with a dark inner secret.

Cast
Joseph Campbell
Shadow

Featuring music by
Síol Na Gréine

See the trailer here.

INFO - SFF London

Buy tickets here

EFS at Festival CineB - Nov 4 - 2011

2011-10-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

VAT 7 and The Petrol Station screen as part of The Experimental Film Society at Festival CineB in Santiago, Chile.

INFO - CineB

The Petrol Station

VAT 7

INFO - EFS

Roadside Picnic Excerpt screens at Life with Edits - Nov 5 - 2011

2011-10-28T02:55:00.000-07:00

As part of Generation for Export: Life with Edits at The Joinery Gallery, Dublin.

INFO - The Joinery Gallery
INFO - The Road Movie Trilogy

The Petrol Station exhibits at TACTIC Gallery - Nov 4 - 2011

2011-10-28T02:41:00.000-07:00

Seeing the Light (Nov 4 - 16)

'Where film and video Collide...an exhibition of contemporary Irish experimental film curated by Maximilian Le Cain.'

INFO - Tactic Gallery

The Poorhouse Revisited - Completed Feature Film - Sept 2011

2011-10-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

Set in the time of the Irish famine, an elderly gravedigger revisits a traumatic event through the visions of his dreams.

(2011, 16mm, 80MINS)

Featuring music by
Brian Conniffe & Suzanne Walsh

Restoration and Edit by
Michael Higgins

Original Footage
RTE/IFB docu-drama 'The Poorhouse' dated 1995
Dir. Frank Stapleton
Writer. Frank Stapleton & Michael Harding
Prod. Catherine Tiernan/Ocean Films

Concrete Walls - Completed Feature Film - Aug 2011

2011-10-19T04:22:00.000-07:00

The story of a mysterious loner, a stranger with a secret buried deep.

(2011, HD, 60MINS)

Cast
Joseph Campbell
Shadow

Featuring music by
Síol Na Gréine
hiarctow.com

Poster Photography by Ania Janiszewska

'MCFB' exhibits at NCAD MA Final Show - May 2011

2011-10-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

16mm Installation 'Merry Christmas Farmer Brown'

Thanks to Cat O'Regan for audio equipment.

'Painting' screens at Super-8 Shots - July 2011

2011-10-19T03:27:00.000-07:00

'Painting'

INFO - Super 8 Ireland

EFS Premier Screening - July 2011

2011-10-19T03:12:00.000-07:00

The First EFS Screening took place at Hello Operator, Dublin. 19 short films were shown by 12 filmmakers. 4 of the filmmakers were at present and had a Q&A. 3 of my films were shown.

'Hotel'

'The Gardener'

'Love Me Longer'

Cinekinosis & EFS screens 'Where To?' - Oct 2011

2011-10-19T02:41:00.000-07:00

As part the Dublin Based Experimental Film Society 'Where To?' screened along with 7 other EFS member's films. Please see here for details of the films.

More INFO
www.cinekinosis.tumblr.com
www.cafe-kino.com
www.experimentalfilmsociety.com

Films at Darklight - Oct 2011

2011-10-19T02:26:00.000-07:00

'Landslide' the video for the song of the same name by Brian Conniffe and Suzanne Walsh will screen as part of 'New Indie Voices'

'The Petrol Station' will screen under the 'Cont. Art and the Moving Image' as part of 'New Indie Voices'

'The Sun Disappears' was a collaboration with Luca Rocchini and will be screening as part of 'New Indie Voices'

This year’s Darklight Festival will take place Thursday 20 – Saturday 22 October in The Factory, 35A Barrow St. Grand Canal Dock.

'The Petrol Station' screens at the QFT - April 2011

2011-04-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

As part of the 11th Belfast Film Festival, The Empress Gallery presents The Contemporary Art and The Moving Image at the QFT.

'The Petrol Station' screens at CMC - Mar 2011

2011-04-29T05:50:00.001-07:00

Sensorium Festival Dublin 2011

'Headless Queens' exhibits at UNIT 35 - Feb 2011

2011-04-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

Sound sculpture, mixed media.

UNIT 35 was an exhibition of new work by second year NCAD Masters students. Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Full audio here
/mgmh/headless-queens

'girl meets boy' screened at Shebeen Flick - Feb 2011

2011-04-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

'Girl Meets Boy'

Accompanying Rouzbeh Rashidi's 'Bipedality'

Found

2011-04-29T05:35:00.001-07:00

The Poorhouse

2011-02-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

A few new stills.

16mm Find

2011-02-04T08:31:00.001-08:00

Found a huge batch of 16mm film, rushes, selects nearly totally destroyed. Found it out by Poolbeg in a small dumping ground.

The Poorhouse - 1995
Dir. Frank Stapleton
DP - James Welland
Prod. - Catherine Tiernan, Ocean Films

The film’s plot concerns the relationship between an elderly gravedigger at the workhouse and a young pregnant woman who arrives there from the 'big house' in disgrace.
More info here >HistoryIreland<

It's mine now.

Found

2011-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Stole this strip of 35mm from a wall of a pub in Torun, Poland. Love the still.

Redlake LOCAM

2010-10-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

First completed Locam test.

High speed 16-500fps 16mm camera.

MUSIC - Brian Conniffe and Suzanne Walsh

'Battered Sausage and Chips' Exhibits at Culture Night - Sept 2010

2010-09-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

'Battered Sausage & Chips' screened at the Yukon Bar, Mullingar as part of Culture Night 2010.

Thanks to Aishling Muller for making it happen.

'Buildings and Airplanes' Exhibits at Phizzfest - Sept 2010

2010-09-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

It was screened on continuous loop in a site specifically space for the run of the festival.

Thanks to Laragh Pittman for making it happen.

Found Down South

2010-08-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

Click to ENLARGE.

160size B/W Film Print
1950s

Drawdio

2010-07-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

Listen to the drawing.

Drawdio by MGMH

Thanks to Jay Silver and co. CLICK ME

Found Fotos

2010-07-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

SUPERSIZE the image by clicking upon it.

35mm Positive 'Safety Film'

Thanks to Orla for identifying one.

Found The Revenge

2010-05-24T08:48:00.001-07:00

Found in my house when cleaning up the spare bedroom. A photograph of a photograph.

35mm Polaroid Colour Neg

Out Side In Side

2010-05-07T14:48:00.001-07:00

'Girl Meets Boy' Exhibits at Checkpoint - Apr 2010

2010-04-17T16:44:00.001-07:00

'Girls Meets Boy'

The film screened on continious loop in a site specific environment.

Found Once Again

2010-04-14T11:39:00.001-07:00

Kodak 35mm Colour Neg

DATA Workshop 10.0

2010-03-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Built this one saturday afternoon with help from Paddy Cashin and data.ie

Although a lot of wires broke and the chip pin things bent (and broke).

It still held together.

noise here...

Non-Bio by MGMH

KENNETH ANGER

2010-02-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Kenneth Anger tells us about the Theremin by MGMH

High Noon Pinhole

2009-12-30T15:59:00.000-08:00

Finally got around to scanning my first large format picture taken with this beautiful camera. The Noon Pinhole

Music Video: The Sun Disappears

2009-12-28T16:17:00.000-08:00

A taste of whats to come. Collaborating with Luca Rocchini on this one.

Photografia

2009-12-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

I was in Lodz, Poland recently for Camerimage Film Festival and visiting Weronika. Here she is walking a street.

I opted to use a ZENIT 50mm lens and I'm very happy with the results. Plenty of soft focus and a little distortion. Click for BIGGER

A few more can be found on the flickr link over on the left.

Founded

2009-12-07T17:24:00.001-08:00

Found 50frames of 35mm on a bar counter in the Camerimage Festival in Lodz, Poland.

I Found This Not So Long Ago

2009-11-15T13:38:00.001-08:00

Two reels of 35mm anamorphic film (30-40cm diameter). Content unknown. Found on the property behind 'The Film House' on Abbey Street. €10 for anyone who knows what the movie is.

Dublin's Experimental Film Club

2009-11-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed this today.

It consisted of four films
Maximilian Le Cain's 'Point of Departure' (2008, 8min)
Antony Balch's (& William Burrough's) 'Tower's Open Fire' (1963, 16mins)
Jeff Keen's 'Artwar - The Last Frontier' (1993, 20mins)
&
Tony Conrad's 'The Flicker' (1966, 30mins)

Do click HERE for more info on the specific films, their themes and the club itself.

It was my first time attending the club's event and it was an extreme pleasure. For instance 'The Flicker' was like nothing I've experienced before. Five shots, a hand written epilepsy warning, the last line humorously stating 'A physician should be in attendance'. A title shot 'Tony Conrad Presents' cross dissolving into the main title (both in a cartoon graffiti style font, black outline on white), the title shrunk and dissolved into a transparent frame or a blankness (film projection), I shall refer to it as the no-thing. The fifth shot was a single frame of black 'leader' a few seconds in and then the film returns to the forth shot, the no-thing. This was repeated again and again. The rate of the black leader quicker and quicker, a strobe-like effect was created, the flicker! The rate varied in the number of black frames and their occurrence.

Watching this on a large screen in a darkened room where your full attention is on a flashing screen plays tricks on your vision. I found myself seeing shapes and patterns emerging from within the no-thingness! My peripheral vision was going mental. It eventually slows down, returns to blankness and the film ends. Foaming at the mouth I wanted more. The Flicker apparently went on for 30mins, it felt more like 10.

Make sure to check out Dublin's Experimental Film Club for upcoming screenings and also a more detailed description of 'The Flicker' and its accompanied films.

I Found This

2009-11-12T10:21:00.001-08:00

Positive slide film without its holder. I found it on a road. (Click for bigger)

Silly Faces

2009-11-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

About 6 months ago I subscribed to sofobomo in order to compile a bunch of photos for an online 'book'.

A bit of old work but no harm in getting it up on the blog! final project. (right-click and save as)

Posters of mulitple views

2009-10-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

For some reasons I connected these three films in my head as a trilogy.

Multiple views required

2009-10-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Shinya Tsukamoto, Japan, 1989.

Pisma myortvogo cheloveka (Letters From a Dead Man), Konstantin Lopushansky, Soviet Union, 1986.

Eraserhead, David Lynch, USA, 1977

Motion Pictures

2009-10-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

HD versions available to view HERE

Photography: Bill Brandt

2009-10-15T05:38:00.001-07:00

I'm currently working on a short film script with a writer I met through crewger.com. Just about finished my draft but in the process of doing so I discovered this man's photography. Beautiful dream-scapes, so much emotion, fear, beauty, so mysterious, love them.
_
Within 90mins of posting 5 of Brandt's photos I received an email regarding copyright infringement. I had to have them removed so CLICK ME for some of Brandt's photography.
_

Born in Germany, Brandt resided in England and he is considered one of Britian's most influential and most important photographers of the 20th Century. He was mostly active from the 30s to 60s. When World War II came to an end he celebrated in creating a series of nudes. Brilliant!

Think of It: David Lynch

2009-10-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is an extract from the book 'Strange World of David Lynch: Transcendental Irony...' by Eric G. Wilson. I thought it was quite amusing and worth a post.

Crewger 48Hour Film Festival

2009-10-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

As part of crewger.ie and studio rua on Saturday 3rd of October I met team buddies Joe Sullivan and Valeria Bandino for the first time. Our challenge was to complete a short film in the following 48hours.

Happy Days was the result.

Thanks to judges Kirsten Sheridan, Lenny Abrahamson and Vanessa Gildea we snapped up first place.

A Learning Experience

2009-10-07T02:22:00.000-07:00

As I was due a post I thought I would open this clip to the world. I recently finished a Filmbase 6week director's course with Vinny Murphy and as a part of the final class we were to produce a short 3/4 page of a script. We were given 6mins to rehearse followed by 20mins to get the shot in the bag. Since there was no editing it had to be all in one shot, therefore live. It was a lot of fun and a great experience.

Conor Duffy and Alan Healy feature on-screen. Neil Thompson is AD.

Green Grass Blues: Unused End Cards

2009-09-23T02:50:00.000-07:00

For the upcoming Film Knight I had planned to use the below title cards for the end credits but they just didn't cohere with the overall feel of the film. I tried regrading to the colours of the film but for some reason it just wasn't happening. These are the raw images as scanned.

Click on the image for the hi-res.

Possibly the text was too big and overpowering or it was all just plain ugly!

Film Knight VIII is on the 10th of October at Fergal's place on Parnell Street, Dublin. We will be watching a HD projection of Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World. A short film with the theme of nature is the entry fee, doesn't matter when it was made or how you're involved with it. The shorts will be screened prior to Herzog.

The Making of Kubrick's 2001: Narration

2009-09-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

Following the film's release in 1968 Frederick I. Ordway (scientific and technical consultant) contacted Kubrick with advice to improve the narrative of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Accompanying his notes on editing he speaks about the lack of narration in sections of the film and how the film's 'intended impact was lost' because of this.

1. The 'Dawn of Man' sequence and its original scripted narration.

The next three paragraphs narrate the 'moon-watcher' (lead ape) and his role in the discovery of the 'bone weapon'.

2. The landing sequence.

3. When the monolith emits a burst of electromagnetic energy.

4. To occur just before the 'interstellar sequence' when we see the monolith (in 'D1', I think this is a scene number!).

This material is taken from a copy of The Making of Kubrick's 2001 by Jerome Agel I found in a Temple Bar book stall for 1euro. It is by far the most informative book on the film I've ever come across and includes letters to Kubrick, all the major reviews/interviews at the time, script segments that never made it into the edit, 100pages of photographs including SFX shots that never made it into the film and Arthur C. Clarke's original short story 'The Sentinal' . Its pretty much an encyclopedia on the film. Super good stuff.

Guca, Serbia

2009-08-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Guca is a very small village located in the mountains a few hours south of Belgrade. Every August for the past 50years the village hosts the world's largest Gypsy Festival. This means BRASS!

Among the 500,000 people that pass through the festival over the weekend, small time gypsy orchestras walk the streets like buskers on the move willing to stop and play for anyone waving a couple hundred Dinars (about 250/1€), the more you pay, the longer they play.

Guca Live

There is drinking, dancing, more drinking, enough meat to keep the veggies away and not one entry fee in sight (apart from the 30Dinars handed over to the Gypsy family that patrolled the bus station's bathroom, this bathroom put the worst bathroom in Scotland to shame).

The camping site is located high up looking across the small village but wherever you can find a bit of grass to pitch, its yours. The main event of the festival is a competition where 30 orchestras compete for the golden trumpet. This involves a huge main stage used every night and the winners announced on the final day. Small stages throughout the village host morning and daytime music and not to forget the trumpeters wake-up call at 7am!

(Top two pictures by Ania)

Lots of pictures taken and plenty of sound recorded.

More pictures at my Flickr account. Link over on the left. Enjoy.

Birth

2009-08-21T03:38:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled upon the 1995 documentary film 'Lumiere et Compagnie', a film that looked back to the Lumiere Brothers and the birth of cinema and so I thought this was the appropriate first post my blog was looking for.

For cinema's 100th birthday a French man (Philipe Poulet) brought together 40 filmmakers and challenged each of them to create a short film using the first ever motion picture camera. The restraints the 'Cinematograph' imposes are a 50 second roll of film and no synch audio.

The result is a collection of gorgeous vignettes intercut with philosophical questions asked to the filmmakers about filmmaking and cinema. Accompanying the questions there is hi-8 video footage from behind the scenes and a collection of stunning photography, black and white medium format portraits of filmmaker and camera.

A few of my favorites.

Other filmmakers in the collection to check out are David Lynch, Youssef Chahine, John Boorman, Gabriel Axel, Merzak Allouache, Raymond Depardon, Michael Hanake and Bigas Luna among others!

Definitely worth a watch for anyone interested in film.